This was a brilliant performance by our ‘girls’; Diane was 2nd., Louisa 9th., Janine 11th. and Sally 14th. Maybe one of you can remind us how many counters we need for the Cheshire Grand Prix and whether we secured enough points to be 2017 champions. I would be very disappointed if we are not after another brilliant performance. Di has been a great leader and Janine an inspirational captain.
Mark suggested I write the same race report as last year and just change the weather. The weather could not have been more different. Last year was blustery wind and heavy rain. Today was 16-19o, blue sky and a gentle breeze. Tomorrow the remnants of Hurricane Ophelia move up the Irish Sea, our timing was good. Given perfect conditions, one or two of us are struggling to explain why we ran slower than last year.
Paul commented that this year’s Summer Series has somehow failed to catch fire. Heaton Park cross-country yesterday was always going to make things difficult, in the circumstances we had a decent turn-out, but more ladies than men, which suggests that the Grand Prix rather than the Series was the driving force. It would nice, given all the hard work Tony puts into it, to get the views of those who have completed the Series in the past but did not do so this year.
The course is undulating but nothing frighteningly steep, but probably not one for a PB (please prove me wrong). I’ve commented recently that it is novel and refreshing for a lady to be the first Wilmslow runner home, but Diane has started to make it a habit. But the first three Wilmslow runners home all ladies, now that’s virgin territory. Only Paul prevented it being four.
Diane was our only League 1 runner. If Trevor were in League 1 he would have got 59 points, however, as a League 4 runner he only got 54, such are the mysteries of the Series. We are going to have to start thinking about promotion and relegation for next year, maybe Trevor can stake his claim?
Louisa took the League 2 60-points, Janine scored 59 pushing league leader, Paul, down to third.
Sally won the contest between the joint leaders of League 3, Mark was second narrowly beating Patrick. Chris was reasonably happy with his time given, as he said, he is not as fast as he used to be. Cat is making a last minute dash for points, getting, I think, her parkrun qualifier yesterday, so two of her 7 races in two days. Gail struggled, a sore bum from cross-country, she’s barely recovered from Achilles, she’s done a lot of miles this year
Jan was not wildly enthusiastic about her time but took the League 4 60-points. A great run by Sue, this has been a year of recovery following her toe operation, and today was proof of how well she has managed the process. I think this gives both Jan and Sue their 7 races, so League 4 will look a bit different this week. Simon has been running very well and I might have expected him to run have gone faster, I’ll await the post mortem on Tuesday. Catherine started steadily but then picked her way first passed me and then Julie. Julie was down on last year’s time, unsurprising with Heaton Park in her legs.
Encouraging support from Mike, appreciated